LIFE Runners Challenge

What is the LIFE Runners Challenge?

What happens when a Dominican Brother, A layman and a Priest walk up to a Rosary Run starting line?

This is a race-within-a-race, between three of Catholic St. Louis's most formidable endurance athletes, sponsored by the St. Louis Chapter LIFE Runners.

For $1 per vote, you can vote for your favorite among the three challengers. When 'prayer meets the pavement' on 10/13, whichever challenger finishes first - irrespective of the overall race, though we wouldn't be surprised if the LIFE Runners Challenge winner also takes 1st place overall - will claim the entire sum of $1 votes collected as a gift to his charity of choice.

LIFE Runner Challenge - Vote Count

CHAMPION! (x2)

Overall Male 5K champion Michael Horn also won the first-ever LIFE Runners Challenge, taking home a beautiful Charles Bosseron Chambers Our Lady of the Rosary icon, and claiming $450.50 for his charity of choice - the Latin America Apostolate!

Congratulations, Michael! All in Christ - For Pro-Life!

Br. Christopher Johnson, O.P.

Saint Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity in response to Christ’s plea that she makes Him known to the poorest of the poor by her humble service of love. The “little Society” of twelve members was officially established on 7 October 1950. The religious branches include the Active and Contemplative Sisters and Brothers, priests, lay Co-workers and Missionaries.

Why he will win:

Br. Christopher is the reigning overall champion of the King-to-Queen Rosary Run. Perhaps he holds an unfair advantage as his order's founder, St. Dominic, is also the founder of the Holy Rosary! The Dominicans are active in preaching, contemplative in study, prayer and meditation. In order to fit running into such a busy life of prayer and study, Br. Christopher has to be pretty fast!

St. Dominic, Pray for us!

Br. Christopher's Reflection on the Holy Rosary:

"Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother" -St. Padre Pio

Michael Horn

The Challenger:

Mr. Michael Horn, Director of the Office of Missionary Discipleship, Archdiocese of St. Louis.

A missionary apostolate of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, serving the priests and people in La Paz, Bolivia and supported by the Annual Catholic Appeal. Since 1956, the Archdiocese of Saint Louis has sent its own priests of the Archdiocese as missionaries to La Paz, Bolivia in South America.

Why he will win:

An accomplished runner, Michael has been known to answer to "Mr. 2:38," (his personal best marathon finishing time 😉). He suggested he would win the Life Runners Challenge because, in his words, "I am faster than everyone else running."

One also needs to keep in mind, Michael's mother will be participating in the King-to-Queen Rosary Run, an event that was built to please mothers... especially one specific Mother.

Michael's Reflection on the Holy Rosary:

"When I think about the many bad days in my life, the Rosary always made them better. Our Lady Wins!"

Fr. Michael Rennier

Residences providing a loving home and an array of services supporting pregnant women and their children suffering with homelessness. Since 1982, Our Lady’s Inn has served as a life-affirming alternative to abortion for more than 6,000 women who have chosen life for their unborn babies.

Why he will win:

When invited to participate, Fr. Rennier inquired about the date and then proclaimed (with a certain clerical nonchalance) that he would "come down and win the whole thing." We must take this priest at his word. An avid endurance athlete, homilist and blogger, Fr. Rennier will be further aided by the prayers of his faithful parishioners at Epiphany in South City.

Fr. Michael's Reflection on the Holy Rosary:

"The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description." - The Venerable Fulton Sheen